Today we’re going to discuss another important surname anomaly that commonly appeared in areas using patronymics and sporadically elsewhere: Farm Names. But first, it’s important to understand how surnames have evolved, and the nuances that can create brick walls in our genealogy research if we aren’t aware of them. Let’s dive in!Lesson in History: The Birth of Modern SurnamesBefore different religious factions broke off from the Roman Catholic Church, our ancestors who were not nobility or … [Read more...]
Find Centuries of Ancestors in Germany’s Village Genealogy Books!
If you have German ancestry, village genealogy books are an essential resource for extending your family history.German genealogy can be intimidating—after determining the ancestral village of origin, the next step involves deciphering documents written in an archaic handwritten cursive script that can challenge even the best of us. So, genealogists seeking their German ancestors can perhaps be forgiven for wishing for any kind of a shortcut that could make their lives easier. Fortunately, for … [Read more...]
Beginning German Genealogy Research: “What does ‘German’ really mean?”
My great-grandmother Erika was German. She was adamant about the fact that she was German. After her arrival in the United States, when she was asked to fill out information about her place of birth, she indicated that she was born in Germany. Erika was born in 1921 in Waschulken. Today, this small town is located in northeastern Poland, however at the time it was part of Germany. Although borders have since been moved, she never stopped claiming she was German.In the United States, many … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Finding Lutheran Ancestors at the Church Registry Office in Hanover
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked Sylvia, onsite in Germany, to share her experiences using the Kirchenbuchamt Hannover (Church Registry Office of Hanover) to find ancestors in the 19th century.Many descendants of German immigrants will be all too familiar with the problem: you’re trying to find that hometown in Europe, but passenger lists or documents give only "Hanover" or "Hannover" as the birthplace. (The … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Genealogy Research at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Whether you're heading to Washington, D.C. for a vacation or family history research, your trip is not complete without a visit to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Founded on the premise of being a "permanent living memorial to the victims of the Holocaust" by an act of Congress, the Museum opened to the public in April 1993. Located just a short distance from the National Mall, the austere façade welcomes those seeking to gain knowledge on this tragic chapter in world history.For … [Read more...]
German Evangelical Church Records Online: Archion.de
If you have German ancestry, this resource is for you! Archion.de is an online resource for German evangelical church records. Church records, which can include baptisms, marriages, burials, confirmations, and in some areas family books, are some of the most commonly used resources for German genealogical research.For those with German ancestors of the Protestant Evangelical faith, accessing church records from many areas of Germany has gotten easier over the last several years. In … [Read more...]
A New Development for German Census Records
A new development in German census records may make tracing your immigrant German ancestors more feasible than ever before!For genealogists tracing families in the United States, federal census records are one of the first sources searched for information – and for good reason. All of the enumerations from 1850 onward listed every member of the household by name. As time went on, the censuses became much more detailed and, depending on the year, included information such as the month and year … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: Finding Your German Ancestors…in South Australia!
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records for our clients. We asked Benjamin, onsite in Park Holme, Australia, to give us insight into what it’s like to conduct research at the Lutheran Archives of Australia. Take a look!Willkommen in Süd Australien!!With the recent co-location of the National Archives of Australia (South Australian Office), State Records of South Australia, and State Library of South Australia, and with the City of Adelaide … [Read more...]
Legacy Tree Onsite: The State Archive of Hamburg, Germany
Legacy Tree Genealogists works with researchers all over the world to access records. We asked Rieke from Germany to write this post, discussing what it's like to conduct research at the State Archive of Hamburg. Take a look!Family history research in Germany can be very confusing because of the bureaucratic and variable complex structures of the different types of archives. The organization and preservation of documents is not consistent, which sometimes makes locating a repository for the … [Read more...]
German Immigrants in American Church Records
If your family tree has German immigrants, include American church records in your genealogy research efforts. Do you have German ancestors who lived in the Midwest? Were they Protestants? If you answered yes to those questions, then you need to know about the German Immigrants in American Church Records (GIACR) series.Compiled by Dr. Roger P. Minert of Brigham Young University, the first volume of the series was published in 2005 and has since expanded to include 18 volumes, the most … [Read more...]